How to Maximize Rat Control with Highly-Effective Baits and Bait Stations for Canny Rats

by Inga Cryton | Last Updated: March 8, 2019

Knowing how to remove pesky rats is certainly a challenge. However, baiting and effective bait stations can help you to solve the problem. Toxic baits help to decrease the damage caused by rats. If you want to increase safety and effectiveness of toxic baits, you are to use bait stations.

When bait stations work best? Why proper placement of them is as essential as using the appropriate baits? What rat blocks to use and how to purchase the best rat bait? Get the latest information in this article.

What do they eat?

What do pesky rats like to eat? Rats that live in cities eat whatever they can have access to in pet food, garbage cans and birdfeeders. Actually they can be found anywhere food waste is stored.

Although most rats will consume whatever is available to them, different species of these critters prefer different type of food.

Roof rats – that are considered omnivores – may consume a wide variety of foods including stems, seeds, fungi, leaves and a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates. These critters are similar to the tree squirrels in their preference of nuts and fruits. Since they feed on a number of agricultural-based crops, roof rats are a threat to many farmers.

As far as these canny rodents prefer plant-based foods, the best baits for these species include:

Nuts,

Dried fruits,

Peanut butter,

Berries.

Norway rats give preference to high-in-fat-sugar-and-protein foods. It has also been studied that the most-liked foods of Norway rats include macaroni, scrambled eggs, cheese and corn kernels. These critters are gluttons so they accept a greater number of baits than Roof rats do. Norwegian rats are not as wary about unknown-to-them objects in their location as Roof rats do which makes these rodents easier to bait and trap.

The best baits for them include:

Gumdrops,

Peanut butter,

Bacon,

Dried fruit.

Before talking more about rat trap baits, it’s important to first learn how to trap pesky rats. Unlike sly mice that are driven by their taste, canny rats respond more to scent. One of the main benefits of using available-on-the-market rat baits is that most of them contain a special blend of scents that Roof and Norway rats find irresistible.

However, the choice of bait is not the only thing to think about. You need also to learn about proper positioning of the baits – you use – which will help you to attract the rat to the trap especially if you choose live traps.

So in case of using live traps for catching rats you are to position the bait at the end of the trap – if it is one door trap, and in the centre of the trap if you use a two door trap.

What to do if your bait is not being consumed?

The main reason pesky rats don’t come to your offerings is a great food supply that can be found somewhere close. It could be bird seed, your dog’s food or some kind of nut or grain. Therefore it is essential to remove as much of alternate food as possible. This will cause rats to search some new available food and in the process “discover” your bait.

Another reason – no less important – is malodour. It is necessary to make your bait placements – with gloves – in clean bait stations.

What rat bait blocks to use?

There are many quick and effective solutions to control rat population.

Here is what you can buy:

The Big Cheese (50 Blocks) – effective all-weather block bait to remove pesky rats. Rats are extremely attracted to the bait. Once it is eaten these canny creatures are poisoned and will quickly die. Place the product in some bait box in those places where rat activity is seen. The blocks fit different bait stations and can easily be fixed using a rod. The bait stays fresh in any weather.Cost: £8.99Recommendations: You will need up to twenty blocks every 10 metres for low rat infestation and up to twenty blocks every five metres for high rat infestation. To protect bait points from kids and children use available bait stations. Wearing gloves is recommended.Where to place: near burrows or nests, where there are signs of rat activity, and throughout all the infested area.

Contrac Blox Rat Bait – works great for rat removal and is easy-to-use in bait stations with rods. The product contains bromadiolone and is known as less toxic to many non-target animals than popular single-feeding baits.Cost: $93.80Benefits: No need to hire an exterminator company. Contrac is designed to go into a station with a metal rod. Just refill bait station, place it in the problem location and the job is done.

Final Blox Rodenticide – highly weatherable and effective bait block that contains working active ingredient – Bridifacoum. Made with more than sixteen human food-grades in combination with ingredients rats can’t resist.Cost: $139.99

As a rule the volume of consume bait will be far less with bromethalin baits in comparison to anticoagulant baits. Though 1 night feeding usually provides a lethal dose, homeowners have to maintain bait for at least 1 week to give all rats a chance to feed on the bait. It is essential to continue baiting by the time all signs of rat feeding have ceased. To prevent re-infestation limit food sources of rats. In case re-infestation occurs, repeat treatment.

Rat bait stations: Best options to deal with rat infestation

Trapping is often the most effective way to deal with rat infestation. However, standard traps sometimes become a problem for many homeowners especially when they don’t want to trap cats, squirrels and some non-target animals. What’s more rats often steal bait without setting the trap off. Rat bait boxes are the answer to all your rat problems.

Proper placement of rat bait box is important.

By using T-Rex traps in combination with effective bait stations you can effectively catch rats and protect your traps from other animals.

Here is what to buy:

Protecta LP – a triangular bait station for rats that effectively fits along walls and in corners where rodents travel. The product can also be used to define areas of heavy and mild rat infestation.Cost: $18.49Size: The box is big enough to accommodate 6 rats and can hold 475 ml of liquid bait, up to 1 pound of bait or one T-Rex Rat Trap.Colour: The station is available in green, black, and light gray to fit in any baiting area.Where to place: near corners, baseboards, or in locations where rats are likely to travel.

Protecta Heavy Duty – efficient, made-of-heavy-duty plastic station. The product can effectively withstand the toughest situations outside and indoors.Benefits: Protecta helps homeowners to keep the bait away from their pets, children or livestock. It protects bait from dust, dirt as well as other contaminants, thus allowing the bait stay fresh longer.Cost: $22.00

Protecta Sidekick – durable option that functions not only as bait station but also as efficient monitoring station. Special vertical bait rods securely hold bait blox, decreasing the risk of accidental bait exposure to your pets, kids and other animals. The product can be used in commercial, residential and industrial buildings indoor and outdoor.Cost: $70.62How it works: The lid on the Protecta Sidekick opens to the side for convenient and fast service. The product is specially made to hold T-Rex Trap which in a fast way captures pesky rats as they enter the station.

EZ KLEAN – economical rat bait station and easy-to-operate solution for safe rat control in your yard and home. Just add your choice of pellet, solid or liquid bait for pesky rats to the EZ KLEAN and lock the lid with just one twist of the key.For indoor use: It’s better to place EZ Klean under sinks, in attics and in any place rats are frequent.For outdoor use: EZ Klean boxes can be placed in or around your storage sheds, along the outside wall of your property every 3o ft and in/around detached garages.Cost: $52.20

Pre-baited rat bait stations: Best options to purchase

Those who don’t want to deal with buying baits can use pre-baited stations that have the needed bait inside. All you need to do is install pre-baited station and you are done.

We suggest buying the following:

T1 RAT – disposable pre-baited solution, that comes with weather resistant Bromethalin rodent bait. If protection of kids and non-target animals is your top concern, this station is certainly the best choice. Security, convenience and quality are all those things that can describe the product. Once the bait is consumed the T1 Rat station can be thrown away or left at a residential account. The bait kills rats in as little as two days. If contents are contaminated or consumed, replace bait station.

Cost: $79.51

ImportantPlace stations in those places where rats are frequent.It is recommended to place 1 pre-baited station every fifteen – thirty ft. along your interior/or outside your foundation walls and within fifty ft. of the structure.

Best rat bait: The top choice

The most popular rat bait that is considered top choice for rat infestation is Frastrac Blox. This efficient product offers the fastest rat kill – about 12-23 hours – and is one of the few that can be bought in the smaller four lb. pail.

Fastrac Blox – effective product that offers a lethal bromethalin dose in 1 feeding with the first dead rats that will for sure appear in one or two days after bait feeding. Each block can be placed on bit securing rods in special bait stations. The blocks are of purple colour for easy identification. Works well in any condition – dry or wet.

Application: Place two-ten blocks per placement – at 15 to 30 ft. intervals.

Cost: $61.45

Check bait stations on a day-to-day basis and add some fresh bait when needed. The use of fresh anticoagulant will help you to keep rat numbers at a low quality. When using baits, you must monitor their quality and freshness. Remember, rats can reject spoiled foods. Although you are to provide enough bait for rats, don’t overfill bait stations.

About Inga Cryton

Welcome to PestKill. I have been working on pest extermination information for a long time and am excited to share this information with you. Here you will find information that is useful and easy to understand. Whether your issue is small pests such as insects, or large pests such as rodents, you will find helpful information here. I also provide product recommendations for my favorite pest extermination products. Feel free to contact me with any questions about pest extermination you have! Read More

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